Reloading cost are beginning to become very painful and I shoot approx. 10K/yr., mostly skeet. Do you have a good performing recipe for the 3/4 oz. 12 ga. load for a fps. between 1200-1250?

Thanks – Stanley

Dear Stanley,

The cost of components is really skyrocketing. Lead shot is already $45 in some places. Components haven’t gone up as much, but they have increased. Look for price increases of 15% across the board on shells from major US makers every September 1st (in time for the dove opener) and then more increases as of January 1st.

So, a 3/4 oz load certainly makes sense for skeet. It will work just fine too. The Olympic load used for the extraordinarily difficult International Skeet and Olympic Bunker games is 24 grams, a little under 7/8 oz. If little shot loads can break those targets, they can break anything.

Hodgdon lists some 3/4 oz loads for Remington and Winchester hulls using Clays powder and Federal 12SO wads. 1200, 1250 and 1300 fps loads are listed. You can get the loading recipes at Hodgdon. I don’t see any 3/4 oz 12 gauge loads listed on the Alliant Powder site.

How well do the listed Hodgdon 3/4 oz loads perform? Dunno. I have not used them, but Hodgdon’s data has been reliable in the past. I have used Hodgdon’s listed 7/8 oz loads in some of my light weight hunting 12s and they have worked well for me.

Of course, if you are going to shoot skeet with 3/4 oz, now might be the time to take a look at one of those gorgeous little 28 gauge guns…….